A/N: Time skip again. More to come.
Chapter 12
Since being on the Normandy, it's opened my eyes to what can happen when you have everyone's trust. Trust is a fragile thing, even now. Even though we've all been through a lot together—enough to get to know and trust each other—they still don't know everything about me. Not even Liara.
Since the very beginning of this story, I've been keeping a secret from everyone. Once this secret is revealed, I may lose the trust of everyone on the Normandy.
The truth: I've known about the experiment I went through. I've known about it all, even before the asari scientist told me about it. The time I've spent on the Normandy has allowed me to trust in the people I care about enough to share my past memories, present feelings, and now my deepest darkest secret.
Remember the krogan. After the war with the Reapers, they grew to a substantial size—thanks to the cure of the genophage. They created colonies and constructed their own hierarchical system—and even managed to gain the trust of the entire galaxy in the process. Growing their numbers meant colonizing many other planets in the solar system, and made Tuchanka—the krogan homeworld—a place of security and development. However, even with all of their advancements, all of that changed. The krogan changed.
Nearly a century ago, the krogan started rebelling against the aftermath of the war with the Reapers. The krogan started branching out; creating new clans, making new allies, and destroying all who opposed their beliefs—whether or not they were justified. Because of this, rogue clans like Clan Janok started fighting against the Alliance navy fleets. Just like what happened to the Goliath, many other Alliance fleets suffered heavy losses due to the krogan revolts. The krogan who was in charge of this revolt was a krogan battle master named Janok Cain.
Before the rebellion started, clan leader of Janok and overseer of the experiments done on Tuchanka, Janok Cain promised all krogan a better future. He wanted the krogan to evolve into bigger, badder, meaner biotic warriors. The krogan were surprisingly open to his plans, gaining support from other species, and started helping him work.
The krogan battle master eventually saw what his experiments could become and started experimenting on other races. His plan became more than about just being for the krogan, but for the rebellion he would start decades later. Shortly after he started experimenting on other species, his intentions for his experiments gained attention from the council. Cain's efforts of trying to create powerful biotics were cut in half. He no longer had the aid he required for making an army of biotic warriors. Instead, he was only able to continue experimenting on a select few of his subjects.
Out of all of his experiments, I was the last human to survive the tests. My identification number was H-990, subject codename K.N.I.G.H.T. Krogan Nature-Integrated Genuine Human Targeter, 990th human survivor, an attempt at bringing fear to all who oppose Clan Janok. I wasn't just made to be a powerful biotic, I was made to be the clan's protector—their pet. A trophy, even.
Instead of allowing the other scientists to continue their experimenting on me, an asari scientist released me early in the final development stage. The lab team was trying to alter my appearance to look like a krogan/human hybrid. The asari scientist said she could feel me from inside the tank begging for help. She said we shared a connection during all of the tests and couldn't watch me being turned into, what would have been, a monster to most people.
After she released me, my biotics reacted to the Tuchanka air and nearly lit me on fire. Because of that, I went into a panic. Not even the asari scientist could calm me down.
On the way to a shuttle, I managed to destroy the civilians of Clan Janok. My biotics were nearly out of control. Nearly every krogan in the civilian area of the clan were killed by me. This scared me and I nearly lost myself again, but the asari scientist stunned me until I was unconscious. She managed to get me safely off of Tuchanka and onto an abandoned world, where she helped me heal from my injuries.
Shortly after my wounds started healing, I started having dreams about Commander Shepard. The asari scientist and I stayed together for about six years before we eventually decided to part ways. We had agreed that it was time to start doing what we could to benefit the galaxy in our own ways. Before leaving, she had told me her name, something she said her and her mother decided to keep secret. Serana T'Soni, daughter of Liara T'Soni and Commander Shepard.
As I sit on the starboard observation deck, thinking about how I will tell everyone my "real" identity, I hear an emergency call from my com. "Knight, we need you in the war room. Immediately." Danial says as I sense his anger. What happened? Quickly, I make my way to the war room.
When I get there, I see Kiera, Danial, Liara, and Admiral Coen's hologram. "Why now of all times-?" Danial asks and sees me walk into the room. "There you are."
"What's going on?" I ask and they look at each other before Admiral Coen's hologram turns to face me.
"Knight, I'm sorry, but they need to know." Admiral Coen says, seriously. "We've been receiving more death threats on my end, no doubt you have too." He says as I notice Kiera, Danial, and Liara look shocked.
"Yes, sir. I have." I say and notice Danial crossing his arms. Liara looks shocked as she stares at me.
"We have to tell them." Admiral Coen says and I bow my head—ashamed.
"Yes, sir." I say and the Admiral turns to the others.
"Since she joined the Alliance fifteen years ago, Knight has been receiving death threats from various mercenary groups." Admiral Coen says as I continue to look down, away from everyone. "She's been a target since escaping from a large slaver organization nearly fifteen years ago. The Alliance agreed to her joining the Alliance on the condition that, if this became any bigger of an issue, her partnership with us would cease."
"It's gotten to that point already?" I ask and he pauses for a moment.
"It has." He says and Kiera grips the rail in between her and the hologram. "Now, the krogan have involved themselves."
"Why didn't you tell us about this before now?" Liara asks and I look up at her. She's asking me. "We could have helped."
"I didn't want to endanger the crew…but, I see I already have." I say and bow my head again. "I'm sorry."
"You've been dealing with this for fifteen years? Just how old are you?" Danial asks with an angry look on his face.
"In solar years, 35." I say and they look shocked. "I was taken in by a batarian named Katar when I was thirteen years old, then I was sold to a slave trade organization when I was eighteen years old." I say as I start explaining about how we got into this situation—not even mentioning the part about the krogan yet. "Months after I was sold, I escaped from a buyer who payed millions for me, in advance. The Alliance saw me being dragged out of a building, open-fired at the slave trader's agents, and rescued me."
"I had no idea…" Liara says and I look up at her. She looks sad under her calm demeanor.
"The Alliance destroyed all information regarding that incident in hopes of the death threats ceasing, but it has come to my attention that they have not. And will not stop." Admiral Coen says and turns to face me. "By the authority and cooperation of the council in this decision, Jordan Knight, you have been stripped of all ranks and positions you may have held within the Alliance in order to protect its people. You are hereby suspended from your status on the Normandy and will await further instructions to your next destination."
"Wait—you can't seriously do this!" Kiera shouts and I look up at the hologram.
"Thank you for all you have done for me, sir." I say and salute the hologram as I fight back tears.
"Good luck on your next venture. Coen out." The Admiral says before the hologram fades away.
"I can't believe they're doing this to you now!" Kiera says as she walks to me. "You've done so much for them, so, why now?"
"I thought you'd be more concerned about the krogan, Kiera." Danial says and Kiera turns to him with anger. "They're the real threat here." He says as I notice Liara walking up to me.
"What's going to happen now?" Liara asks and I look away.
"I'm sorry." I say and turn around. As I start walking away, I feel a hand on my arm. "I need to be alone." I say and feel the hand on my arm slowly lift off. "We can talk more later, but for now…I need to gather my thoughts." I say and walk away.
Later, after deciding that I should tell Liara everything about the krogan and me, I make my way to Liara's room. When I get there, I hear nothing but silence. Is she inside? If she is, I hope she's not just sitting in the dark. As I'm about to open the door, I hear her voice. "Glyph, I haven't found any data related to these slavers. Run a full diagnostics on our hardware."
"Doctor, perhaps there is no data left to find." Glyph says and I rest my back against the wall beside the door. She shouldn't be doing this to herself.
"There has to be something!" I hear her yell, then I hear something drop. "Goddess…what am I going to do?" She says and I stand up from the wall. Then, after a moment of silence, I knock on the door.
"Liara? May I come in?" I ask and hear shuffling from inside the room. Then, it stops. The door doesn't open, but I sense Liara is standing behind the door. "I want to talk…but, I understand if you're too busy…" I say as I feel myself becoming more nervous. I don't want to see her cry for me. "…just, please don't keep yourself in the dark." I say and turn around to walk back to the elevator. Before I reach the elevator door, I'm stopped by Liara hugging me.
"No. I want you to stay…" She says as I feel her hugging me tightly.
"There's something I wanted to tell you…" I say and put a hand over one of hers. "…and something I feel you should have."
"Can you just…stay with me?" She asks and I pull her hands away from me, so that I can turn to face her. Once I'm facing her, I see that she's crying. "Just for tonight…"
"Yes." I say and she grabs one of my hands, then leads me into her room—blackened by the darkness.
She guides me to the couch. For many minutes, we sit and just listen to the silence around us as she leans on me.
Once Liara stops crying, I'll tell her. Everything.
After a few hours passed, and Liara stopped crying to sleep, I stand up from the couch. As I walk around the room, I put a hand into my pocket to grab the OSD with the data from the experiment on Tuchanka. It was a data cache of the experiment, development, and my escape—along with Serana taking the data disk from the console at the end. Along with this OSD is another OSD of the many death threats I had received in the past fifteen years. Liara needs to see these. She should be the one to keep them. If I can't be with her for long, perhaps she can find a way to somehow find me again using this information. She is the shadow broker after all.
As I load the OSD onto a computer, Liara wakes up. "Knight? What are you doing?" She asks and slowly stands up as the vid plays on the monitor. "What is this?"
"What I wanted to talk to you about…" I say as the vid continues to play. The lab on Tuchanka, full of life pods, tanks, and me inside a tank at the center of the screen. "No one, not even the Admiral has seen this."
"What is that?" She asks as the vid continues to show krogan, salarians, and asari working together—on me. "Wait—that's!"
"It was an experiment done on Tuchanka." I say and the camera focuses on the me inside the tank. "This is how I was made, Liara."
"Where did you get this?" She asks as I notice the shocked look on her face.
"I've always had it…since we went to that lab." I say as the vid continues to show the extent of the experiment. "The admiral wanted me to destroy this data."
"Knight…" She says and I look at her, focusing on the vid.
"Specimen H-990, project K.N.I.G.H.T. is nearly finished." One of the salarian doctors says, happily. But, then, a krogan comes charging in.
"No! We can go further!" He shouts, angrily at the salarian. "The biotic channel can still be improved!"
"No, that would destroy her!" An asari shouts and the krogan slaps her.
"This is not what the council promised me! This will bring the krogan true power!" The krogan shouts and turns to face the tank I was in. "She's no krogan, but she will be among one of us: Janok Knight."
"I won't accept this, Cain! She can never be one of us!" Another krogan shouts and Liara pauses the vid.
"Why would the council support this? What's going on? Why keep this a secret?" Liara asks, calmly but I sense anger behind her words. "Why didn't you tell me…?"
"I thought…you would hate me…" I say and she bows her head.
"You know I could never hate you…" She says and I put a hand on her shoulder.
"You still haven't watched the rest of the vid…" I say and she grabs my hand, then raises it to her face.
"Whatever happened during the experiment will not affect how I feel about you, Knight." She says with a smile. "As long as the real you is standing in front of me, whatever the vid shows won't change how I see you." She says and I smile.
"Okay." I say and she lowers our hands back down.
"Why would the council support the experiment?" She asks as she looks more serious.
"The council funded the experiment with the belief that this would satisfy the krogan." I explain and sigh. "They didn't do much research on what Janok Cain was planning to do with his research. It took him decades to create the blueprint for creating me." I continue as I notice Liara paying close attention to every word I say. "He wanted to build an army of strong biotic warriors to represent Clan Janok."
"Did they not see it as important to know why Janok Cain wanted to do his experiments?" She asks and I shake my head.
"No, they didn't ask because the krogan were slowly showing signs of becoming a dominant species in the galaxy." I explain as I think about all of the reports I gathered about the council's interactions with Clan Janok. "The council just wanted to keep the peace for as long as they could."
"I…see." She says as I see her trying to piece things together. "If the council knew about these experiments, wouldn't they have known who you were when you were on trial?" She asks and I smile. She catches on quickly. "This is the information that you were forbidden to share, isn't it?" She asks and I nod.
"The contract I signed forbade me from telling anyone about this…That's why the council disregarded all of my previous information and accepted me into the Alliance. They thought it would somehow solve the issue with the krogan—accepting one of their experiments into its ranks—but that's not why Cain started the experiments." I explain as I remember the trial. "I've known about the experiment since before the trial. Janok Cain never wanted peace from the beginning, even with my warnings, the council refused to believe that Cain would betray the galaxy by continuing the experiments done on me and the other subjects…then, after the council sent out a message telling Cain that I was alive, the rebellion started focusing on Alliance fleets." I say as she looks somewhat confused. "I know this is a lot to take in at once, but I'd like it if you watched the rest of the vid." I say and look over to the computer, then I play the vid. "It's important you know why the krogan are after me."
"The council won't support your delusions any longer, Janok Cain!" A salarian shouts as he and many other scientists leave the room.
"You'll regret this one day, pyjak!" Cain shouts back and turns to face the tank I was in. "I will finish you one day." He says and leaves. As the vid continues, I look over to Liara—who's looking very worried.
Then, I hear the scene changing to just before the final experiment. "She needs to be strong like a krogan! Try this!" Cain shouts at the engineers. "A weak human will have no weight in this clan! Even Kalros had armor and it was a worm!" Cain shouts and looks into the tank I was in. "She will be the embodiment of these experiments. A true inter-species warrior."
"You want us to alter her physical form?" One of the asari engineers asks in anger. "She already possesses the highest grade biotic implants and her genetic code has already been altered extensively to protect her from the inevitable internal trauma she will experience once we wake her."
"You will answer to me, asari!" Cain shouts as he points angrily at the asari scientist. "She will not be a failure!" Cain shouts and looks back to the tank I was in. "When the galaxy sees her in her complete form, Clan Janok will be feared and we will rule Tuchanka."
"That's barbaric!" Liara says and I hesitate to grab her hand to comfort her. Instead, she grabs mine.
"You can't seriously want this, Cain!" A krogan in the lab says and Cain laughs.
"This is exactly what I want. I'm building life in a new way." Cain says and gives a small sinister laugh. "Besides, she won't feel a thing from in there. She'll be a krogan soon." He says and leaves.
"How could he?" One of the asari asks as they walk to the tank I was in and rest a hand on the glass. "It's like he hurts you for fun." She says and I recognize the voice—it's Sera'na. "I won't let him do this to you…"
"Wait. That's—" Liara says as she notices who the asari engineer is. Then, the scene changes to when Sera'na was alone in the lab.
"I can't just sit here a watch you be in this much pain." Sera'na says as she looks into the tank. "I know you are hurting, I can feel it. I'll stop the pain for you. I promise."
"Sera'na T'Soni." I say and look at Liara. "Your daughter saved me, although…" I say and hear the vid cut to my release. After I come out of the tank, the lab glows a bright red. Then, you can see the lab on fire, me on fire, and then the lab in flames. Then, the vid stops at Sera'na looking into the camera. "It was all of those biotic enhancements…they made me unstable. It burned me and the lab, and made me run out in a panic. Clan Janok didn't stand a chance against my biotics…the krogan were slaughtered…by me." I say as I continue to face the screen. "Sera'na…Sera saved me and took me to a distant planet to help me heal…then, we parted ways about six years later."
"Knight…" Liara says and I turn to look at her. "…you should have told me."
"I didn't want to put all of this on you, but…now, if we end up separating—" I say and she hugs me.
"No. I won't let that happen." She says and I hug her back.
"Liara, I want you to keep this OSD…" I say and feel her hug me tighter. "…just in case."
"In case of what?" She asks and I sigh.
"Once I leave the Normandy, I'm…going to track him down." I say and she pulls away from me. "Since I left the lab, I've suspected Janok Cain has been the leader of the krogan revolts. After seeing this vid again, it's clear to me that he is." I say and look at the computer.
"You're not doing this alone! I'm going with you." Liara says and I look back at her.
"I'm sorry, Liara…I won't let you do that." I say as I feel anxious. While slightly shaken, I raise a hand to Liara's face. "I didn't want it to end like this, but…" I say and she puts a hand to my face.
"If you're really going to leave me, then…let me have you for just tonight." She says and I put a hand on her hand rested on my face. Then, she leans towards me and kisses me for a moment. Then, she pulls away slightly. "Join with me…"
"Okay, Liara…" I say and we smile at each other as our hands drop away from my face. Then, she grabs one of my hands and guides me to the bed. The next thing I know, I'm on the bed with Liara on top of me. She kisses me as I feel her hands on my body.
The joining was intense, yet I've never felt peace like that. It was soothing to me, warm. We felt each other in perfect harmony; our breath, our thoughts, our love for each other. It was like nothing I've ever experienced, and I'm sure I have a hard time explaining what it was like. There are no words to better describe the experience. But, I know this; as always, she was amazing. For as long as it lasted, I never wanted it to stop.
Still, even this peacefulness had to come to an end.
As I lay in the bed, awake, I watch Liara's sleeping face. Moments pass as I just watch over her. Then, I sit up from the bed. When I stand up, I hear Liara shifting in the bed—still asleep.
As I put my clothes back on, I think about what I should do once it's time to leave the Normandy. What should I tell the others? Should I even talk with them at all? They will likely not be able to trust me anymore than they did when I first boarded the Normandy.
Just before leaving the room, I leave the OSD with all of the death threats I've saved. She seemed interested, but I don't want her to focus on it too much. So, I also leave a note:
"Liara,
These are the calls I've managed to save of the mercenary groups that I've been running from for many years. Even though I know you will probably go through them, please don't worry over them. They are not something you should concern yourself with. Focus on the krogan. I can handle the mercenaries.
By the time you read this, I will probably be gone already. Thank you for everything, Liara. Every moment with you meant everything to me. You were everything to me. I will always treasure those memories.
Until we meet again, I will always be with you through the stars,
Knight"
As I leave the note and the OSD on her desk, I watch her for one last moment. She's still asleep. "Goodbye, Liara." I say and slowly leave the room.
Once I enter the elevator, I get a call from the Admiral. "This is Admiral Coen. A shuttle is waiting to take you to your new home." He says. Although he calls it my new home, it doesn't seem right. It sounds like the Alliance has decided to give me to the man who bought me fifteen years ago. They never told me about this.
"Yes, sir." I say and hear him sigh.
"I'm sorry." He says and the call ends.
As I reach the air lock to be taken into the shuttle, I pass Kiera and Danial. "Leaving already?" Kiera asks, looking a bit angry. It looks like Admiral Coen didn't tell them, either. Something's not right.
"Miss Knight!" A man shouts and hugs me as I'm emotionless. It's just as I thought: he must have been the buyer from fifteen years ago. "I've waited fifteen years to meet you!" He says and wraps his arms around me. Still, I'm emotionless.
"And you are…?" Danial asks and the man pulls away from me with a smile that seems creepy.
"Hugh George Senior." He says and looks at me with dirty eyes. "I have many plans for you, girly."
"What's going on?" Kiera asks and the man puts an arm on my shoulders.
"Don't tell me—" Danial says as he understands what's going on.
"I bought this rogue biotic warrior fifteen years ago." He says and puts his other hand over the front of my body. Surprised, I look up at him. "No, no, no. The Alliance said you would be loyal to me."
"You creep!" Kiera shouts as she lunges at the man. "The Alliance never would have agreed to this!"
"She's right. This doesn't seem right." Danial says and looks at me.
"Yeah. So, let her go!" Kiera shouts and grabs the man's collar.
"Kiera, stop." I say and she looks surprised. "He's right. We had a deal." I lie and the man smiles. Then, Kiera slowly lets him go and backs away as she looks at me with a worried expression.
"Good!" The man says and pushes me towards the airlock.
"Deal or not, don't treat her like that!" Kiera shouts and the man laughs.
"That's the beauty of the slave trade, my dear! She's mine now." The man says as a soldier guides me into the shuttle. "I can do whatever I want with her." He says and walk into the shuttle. "It was good doing business with you, Alliance Navy."
Just before the shuttle doors close, I give Danial and Kiera a smile. I have a plan to escape this mess.
You weren't expecting me to go with this man willingly, were you? Once a space rat, always a space rat. Pirate or not, I'm taking this shuttle.
As the shuttle hits the solar system, the man puts a hand up my shirt. "You're mine now, kitten."
"I will never be your pet!" I say sharply as he rubs my back. "Don't touch me!"
"You will be whatever I say you to be. You will do whatever I want you to. Because, after fifteen years, you're finally mine." He says and my biotics instantly react. "Aw, how cute." He says with a sly smile. "Are you scared?" He asks as he continues to grope me. Then, I give him a sly smile.
"No. I'm not. But you should be." I say and use my biotics to make a barrier around me—pushing the man and the soldiers away from me, crushing them once they hit the shuttle walls.
The look on his face when he realized he was in trouble—wide-eyed and helpless—priceless. Payback.
"You were supposed to be obedient!" He says and I walk to him with a sinister smile.
"Me? I wouldn't be obedient to some pig like you!" I say and punch through his chest, killing him instantly. Then, I look back at the soldiers. "Well, since I'm not a part of the Alliance anymore…" I say as I contemplate how I want to play this. The soldiers that were watching me before are staggered on the bed of the shuttle, while the pilot seems to be making an emergency transmission. I'll take out the soldiers first, and then take out the pilot. That'll have to do. Quickly, I take out the soldiers on the bed of the shuttle—killing them. Then, I walk to the pilot.
"She's gone rogue!" The pilot shouts and I grab his throat. "Call in reinforcements!" The pilot shouts and I use my biotics to kill him—in an instant. Then, I take his com to use it.
"You thought I was going to be taken so easily?" I say into the com. "Even your deal to me was shady, Admiral. I don't know what's more disgusting; the fact that I trusted you for all these years, or the fact that you almost just sold me to the buyer I've been running from for nearly 15 years—and in front of my friends."
"Knight, wait! Stop this! The Alliance did what we could for you!" Admiral Coen shouts. "If you won't agree to be taken into custody—" He says and I destroy the com. I won't be swayed by your lies anymore, Admiral. I wonder exactly how long the Alliance was planning this. Perhaps it was ordered by the council years ago to enact their own version of revenge against the experiments done on Tuchanka. Or, maybe, this was all the Admiral's doing. "Stop this, Knight!" He continues through the communications at the pilot's seat as I start controlling the shuttle. "If you do this, we'll be forced to pursue."
"I bet that's what you wanted all along, Admiral." I say and throw the pilot's corpse away from the chair.
"You're playing with fire there, Knight. Turn yourself in while you still can!" He says, nearly pleading.
"No, Admiral. That's not going to happen." I say as I turn the communication signature off and sit in the pilot seat. As I sit down, I set the shuttle to arrive at the closest station—beyond the one I'm really the closest to.
After the shuttle hits FTL, I make my way around the shuttle to destroy all com buoy systems with my biotics and take all of their weapons. Once I make sure everything is safe from behind the cockpit, I return to the pilot seat. "I've survived on my own before, so don't ever think I can't do it again." I say to myself and destroy my personal com. Now, I'm fully cut-off from the Alliance. Unless they see the shuttle, I will never be detected from here on out.
It's too bad shuttles don't have windows. I would have loved to watch the stars.